Dragon
and his dragon Saphira]] Dragons were sentient creatures inhabiting Alagaësia. They were the mounts of the Dragon Riders; the color of a dragon's scales was usually the color of its Rider's magic. Apart from werecats and Lethrblaka, dragons were the only known intelligent non-humanoid species. Few dragons survived the Dragon War; in the time of the Rider War, only four dragons were known to exist: Glaedr, Shruikan, Saphira and Thorn. There is also one dragon egg left in the world, which resides in Galbatorix's possession. Its color is green. Description The dragons of Alagaësia were similar in appearance to the dragons of early European folklore. They were reptilian, with scales, sharp teeth, and wings, and could develop the ability to breathe fire with age. Color varied from dragon to dragon, and there appeared to be some variation in features between different colored dragons: Saphira, a blue dragon, possesses four cheek spikes, slightly curved horns, and two forehead spines. Thorn, a red dragon, has wide, crescent-shaped horns, and two cheek spikes. Glaedr, who is golden, has six cheek spines, crooked horns, and a beard. According to Brom, dragons could grow to be "larger than most houses" and that some older dragons could be confused with large hills; even the smallest dragons had wingspans of over a hundred feet. Their eggs tend to be the same color as the dragon's scales. Their scales were very strong, capable of deflecting arrows even on the vulnerable underbelly. Only the wings were supposedly weak, connected only by a thin membrane of flesh. All dragons have matching color for their eyes and hide and possessed long, barbed tongues. Life Cycle Like most reptiles, dragons hatched from eggs. When first born, they were the size of an average house cat, but they grew rapidly. When dragons reached around six months old, they gained the ability to breathe fire. Predators by nature, they hunted deer, elk, moose, wild goats, and other large herbivores. Dragons started to mate when they were young. They were unfading and did not die, unless by wounds in battle, or by sickness. If they had a Rider they could live on (ex: Glaedr, Oromis's dragon, lived on after Oromis died.) It is believed that there was no set limit to a dragon's size, as they grew continuously. History Early years Along with the dwarves and the Grey Folk, dragons were one of the three races native to Alagäesia. The dwarves and the dragons constantly had skirmishes, and neither ever found any liking for the other race. Additionally, there were never any dwarf Dragon Riders. Du Fyrn Skulblaka , a blue female dragon, in the film.]] After a dragon was killed by a rash elf, the long and bitter Fyrn Skulblaka erupted between the two races, with great losses on both sides. Both sides did things they would regret. At one point, elves ambushed dragon mothers in a forest nesting-place (Stone of Broken Eggs), killing them and breaking their eggs. Eventually, however, an elf named Eragon I (namesake of the current Eragon) discovered an abandoned dragon egg and raised the baby dragon inside as his own. Together, the pair acted as a go-between for the Dragons and Elves, and was able to resolve the conflict. Afterward, the order of the Dragon Riders was established so as to maintain the peace in Alagäesia. Humans were later added to the charter when they arrived. The Dragon Rider era The dragons agreed to give some of their eggs to the Riders so that the order could continue. With the protection and assistance of the Riders, the dragons experienced an age of peace. Though they still had contentions with the dwarves, a full-scale war never again erupted between races. The Downfall During and after Galbatorix's rebellion, most of the dragons, along with their Riders, were killed. The Forsworn began a mass genocide of the dragons. Massacres left the dragons very near extinction. By the Eragon's time, there were only five known dragons there has been proven to be more dragons, however they are under Galbatorix's possession in existence: *Saphira, Eragon's dragon, a blue female *Glaedr, Oromis' dragon, a gold male (now deceased, and residing in his Heart of Hearts) *Shruikan, Galbatorix's dragon, a black male *Thorn, Murtagh's dragon, a red male *"Greeni" (fan name), unhatched, and a green male New hope When Eragon discovered a blue dragon egg and became Saphira's Rider, hope came for the dragons. Emperor Galbatorix also wanted to reestablish the dragons, and the Riders, to serve him. The fate of the dragons still looms over ruin. Saphira was the last known female dragon in existence. As revealed by Murtagh, it was Galbatorix's desire to reestablish the order of Dragon Riders; therefore, it was likely that Saphira would mate either with Thorn or the unhatched green dragon. Dragons Saphira II Saphira , Eragon's dragon, was a female sapphire-blue dragon. Arya was transporting Saphira II's egg from the Varden when Durza and twelve Urgals ambushed her. Arya tried to transfer the egg to Brom in Carvahall, but Eragon found the egg first while he was hunting in the woods. Saphira hatched; Eragon secretly brought her up in the mountains. Saphira II's scales and eyes were dark blue (in the movie they are grayer blue). Her eyes saw blues in more vibrant and exotic tones, while reds and greens are more faded. Her talons, and her neck, back, and tail spikes, were bone-white, and she had two serrated teeth, as well as normal teeth and her head is triangular. Later, she gained the ability to breathe fire. At first, the flame was blue, tinged with orange, but it soon becomes fully blue. Of the last five dragons in existence (including one male egg not yet hatched) during the time of Eragon Shadeslayer, Saphira was the only known female, and therefore was the only hope for reviving the dragon race. Saphira seems to be very gluttonous as shown in the books, such as when she first hatched she ate every piece of meat Eragon gave her even though she ate the last piece when she was stuffed. Or in Eldest when Eragon no longer craves meat, she gulps down the remaining food. Another example is in Brisingr. When she and Eragon go to the cooking tents, she scares one of the workers into giving her what she wanted, and while she stated she was full but still greedily devoured a large cow and instead of picking a smaller animal, so it would give Eragon Bromsson energy for the trip ahead. Shruikan Shruikan is the twisted black dragon of King Galbatorix, but that was not always so. Shruikan once had a different Rider; Galbatorix once rode a different dragon. Over a century before Saphira hatched for Eragon, Galbatorix lost his dragon when she died by an arrow to the heart in the Spine. When Galbatorix returned to the riders and asked for a new dragon he was dismissed, the council noticing his maddened state. After his denial, Galbatorix and another Rider named Morzan decided to take a dragon by force. In Ilirea, the capital of the Broddring Kingdom, the two found Shruikan and his Rider training with other Riders and their young dragons. They murdered Shruikan's true Rider and stole the dragon. Then, employing black magic, Galbatorix twisted the young dragon's mind so that Shruikan would serve him. Because of this method of bonding, the union of Shruikan and Galbatorix is unnatural. Galbatorix was bound to his first dragon, the dragon who chose him when it was an infant inside its egg, in the same way Shruikan was bound to his chosen Rider, the one whom Galbatorix killed. There is no true Rider's bond between Galbatorix and Shruikan, no love or real loyalty on either side. Because of this, Shruikan is essentially the first slave Galbatorix procured. Thorn 's red dragon and fellow slave of Galbatorix]] Thorn was the red dragon of Murtagh. Thorn was younger than Saphira and therefore smaller, but he was wider in the legs and shoulders, and he was able to breathe fire. Thorn was named such because, as Murtagh said, "Thorn is my dragon, and a thorn he shall be to all our enemies." Thorn's eyes and hide had a sparkling ruby color. His talons, teeth and neck spikes were snow white. Shruikan trained Thorn in the arts of the Riders, thus Thorn, though younger than Saphira, is actually extremely skilled at aerial combat although Saphira is skilled even more so, and it should be noted that Thorn and Murtagh always fight Eragon and Saphira when they are tired. However, Saphira and was worn out from the war at the time and she had been fighting for hours before she had to fight Thorn, who was fresh and hadn't fought. It should also be noted that Eragon made a risky maneuver by throwing himself off Saphira and placed her in a bad situation. Both Thorn and Murtagh, unwillingly fell under the control of Galbatorix; it remains unclear how Thorn feels about his and Murtagh's predicament. Fans believe that Thorn is not evil and deserves to be set free. Murtagh and Thorn argued over letting Eragon escape during the Battle of The Burning Plains; otherwise, Thorn is not known to have spoken. It is possible that Thorn may have politely persuaded Murtagh to release Eragon and Saphira for the sake of the Varden. Glaedr ]] Glaedr was the male gold dragon of Oromis, the elf who trained Eragon. He is the oldest dragon in the Inheritance cycle, three times larger than Saphira. He first appears in Eldest. Glaedr and Oromis live in Du Weldenvarden, a forest in the north of Alagaësia. They are survivors of the downfall, having hid in the forest when Galbatorix was slaying the other dragons and Riders. It is well that they did this, for else there would have been no one to pass the secrets of Dragon Riders to the new Rider Eragon. Oromis, the Rider, has also the names Osthato Chetowä, "The Mourning Sage", and Togira Ikonoka, "The Cripple Who Is Whole." Glaedr is the oldest dragon in the cycle. Glaedr is also disabled; his left foreleg is nothing but a white stump in place. One possibility is that the dragon knuckle bones possessed by the witch Angela might actually be from Glaedr's leg. Saphira developed a strong infatuation with Glaedr (this may not be love as Glaedr was the first male dragon she had seen, and was effected by the song from Silthrim), but he did not return her affection. During a botched lesson on the Stone of Broken Eggs, she grew more persistent in her advances, and when he rejected her, she attacked him in a rage; he won the ensuring fight, though both sustained injuries. After consulting with Eragon, she apologized to Glaedr for her actions. After Eragon and Saphira come back to finish their training, Glaedr and Oromis rejoin the elves to help the Varden. Oromis is killed in a battle against Murtagh (who was being controlled by Galbatroix and Glaedr was confined to his heart of hearts he gave to Eragon. The Green Dragon There is a fifth dragon, a green dragon is still unhatched. Fans refer to him as "Greeni". Currently, Galbatorix possesses the egg. This dragon was to appear on the cover of the third book of the cycle, upon which he will look to the right. However, it was replaced on the book cover by Glaedr. Greeni will be in the fourth book, and it is unknown who his Rider will be. Bid'Daum Bid'Daum was the dragon of Eragon I and was white in color. His flames would have been like regular flames with some white. Not much is known of him except for the fact that the young elf Eragon found his egg and thought of it to be beneficial to raise his own dragon. So, Bid'daum hatched for him and the two helped end the Du Fyrn Skulblaka, the Dragon War. Eragon became the first dragon Rider and started what later became a large system of peace keepers, although at first they were nothing more than a way for the elves to communicate with the dragons. Their prowess in battle however soon became apparent and they became the arbiters of the law that they were later viewed as. No known account of Bid'Daum's death or his Rider's was given. The speculations are that the first Eragon and Bid'Daum live in Du Weldenvarden, and also that Bid'Daum slumbers as a mountain of the Spine (just speculations) .It is possible that Eragon2 may meet them. This is possible, as dragons are immortal, except against poison and physical wounds. At the beginning of each book, Bid'Daum's eye is shown on the left. Saphira I Not much is known about Saphira I other than she was killed by the Forsworn and she was the dragon of Brom. She was a blue dragon, as was Brom's sword . Jarnunvosk Little is known about Jarnunvosk, except that when Galbatorix was still a young Dragon Rider he went on a trip with some of his friends. They got ambushed by Urgals and a stray arrow hit his dragon's heart. Galbatorix did not know how to save him. The death of his dragon drove Galbatorix mad. Vervada Very little is known about Vervada, except that she was a wild dragon that laid many eggs. Her name means "stormcleaver" in the ancient language and she was Saphira's dam. She perished in the fall. Iormungr Iormungr is Saphira's sire, and was bound to an unknown Rider. He perished in the fall. See also *Dragon Riders *Glaedr *List of dragons *Saphira *Thorn *Bid'daum *Shruikan * es:Dragón Category:Creatures Category:Species Category:Dragons